Skopje, 29 May 2023 (MIA) – President Stevo Pendarovski assessed Monday that the entire composition of the current Judicial Council “embarrassed” itself in the eyes of the Macedonian public.

“I think the issue with the Judicial Council is much larger than the two members elected by Parliament upon my proposal. Unfortunately, the entire composition of this Judicial Council embarrassed itself in the eyes of the Macedonian public,” said Pendarovski in answer to a journalist’s question on whether he is thinking about asking for the resignation of the members he proposed.

In response to the position of Dutch Ambassador Dirk Jan Kop, who said the Judicial Council has become an illegitimate body and that the Netherlands is putting a project related to the Judicial Council on hold, Pendarovski said the Ambassador’s statement was completely fair, stressing that he would also like to see other embassies in Skopje withdraw their projects and funds that they are giving to nongovernmental organizations who are working with, he said, European funds against Europe.

“To that end, I think the Dutch Ambassador’s statement putting on hold a project the Embassy intended to implement with the members of the Judicial Council is completely fair. I would also like to see a few other embassies in Skopje withdraw their projects and funds given not only to the Judicial Council, but also to a few NGOs and media outlets, which evidently have been working with European funds against Europe for years,” said Pendarovski.

In an interview with Radio Free Europe on Sunday, Ambassador Kop said the Netherlands was putting on hold a project related to the Judicial Council, which he said had become illegitimate.

Asked about recent developments in the judiciary, Kop said the Netherlands was following the situation closely. He said the judiciary was part of the EU's highly important Fundamentals cluster, which was to be opened first and closed last. However, he noted, it was a "very bad development" that Special Prosecutor's Office cases were getting bogged down in the courts.

"Now we have the case of Judicial Council, which has become an illegitimate body," he continued, adding that its work was "really painful to watch."

Kop also said the situation was very serious and it led to the Netherlands putting on hold a large project it was doing with the Judicial Council.

The Judicial Council dismissed the Ambassador’s claims on Monday.

The Dutch project, said the press release, lasts for four years and consists of three components: efficiency, accountability, transparency and regional cooperation – and is currently in its third year.

Photo: Frosina Naskovikj